The Czapek Promenade Diamond Drops is a limited production wristwatch that integrates advanced mechanical engineering with artisanal gem-setting. Produced in a series of up to ten pieces, this model is constructed around an 18-carat white gold case and features a dial extensively decorated with diamonds and sapphires. The timepiece is powered by Czapek’s in-house SXH5.1 calibre, a self-winding movement with a micro-rotor. The Promenade Diamond Drops exemplifies the technical and artistic capabilities of contemporary haute horlogerie, with particular emphasis on the complexity of its dial construction and movement finishing.
Sparkling waves
The dial of the Promenade Diamond Drops is manufactured from 18-carat white gold and employs the snow-setting technique to accommodate 679 round-cut diamonds and sapphires, totalling approximately 3.08 carats. The snow-setting process involves placing gemstones of varying sizes into individually hollowed wells on the dial’s surface. Each stone is measured and set flush to its neighbours, creating a seamless, mosaic-like appearance that reveals minimal underlying metal.
This method is technically demanding, particularly given the dial’s required thinness and flatness. The inclusion of both diamonds and sapphires-materials with different hardness and colours-complicates the process further, requiring careful adaptation for each stone. The gem-setting for the dial alone requires approximately six days of focused manual work, while an additional two days are dedicated to setting the 173 diamonds (about 1.63 carats) on the bezel, flange, and crown.
The dial design is inspired by the ripple effect caused by a drop of water, with the off-centre small seconds sub-dial at 4:30 serving as the focal point. The arrangement of stones is intended to evoke naturalistic effects such as light dancing on water or the sparkle of dewdrops, achieved through the careful selection and placement of different shades of blue sapphires among the diamonds. Blued hands provide legibility against the gem-set background, maintaining a functional aspect within the artistic dial.
A movement keeping it’s momentum
At the core of the Promenade Diamond Drops is the SXH5.1 calibre, an in-house self-winding mechanical movement. The movement measures 30 mm in diameter and 4.2 mm in height, comprising 127 components and 26 jewels. It features a Swiss lever escapement and a variable-inertia balance equipped with four gold inertia-blocks, operating at a frequency of 4 Hz (28,800 vibrations per hour).
The movement is wound by a micro-rotor made from recycled platinum, contributing to a power reserve of 60 hours from a single barrel, with a barrel torque of 8 Nmm. The architecture of the SXH5.1 is distinguished by six skeletonised bridges, a design inspired by 19th-century pocket watches. The finishing includes sandblasted black bridges, open ratchets, bevelling, straight-grained sides, and six hand-chamfered inward angles. These finishing techniques are characteristic of haute horlogerie and require significant manual skill.
A beauty dressed in white gold
The case is constructed from 18-carat white gold, measuring 38 mm in diameter, 10.8 mm in height, and 42 mm lug-to-lug. The bezel and crown are set with 173 round-cut diamonds, matching the gem-set dial. The watch is fitted with a sapphire crystal glass-box with anti-reflective treatment and a sapphire case back, also treated for glare reduction on the inner side. Water resistance is rated at 5 ATM, providing basic protection against moisture and splashes.
The case is paired with a blue nubuck leather strap, complementing the blue sapphires on the dial and maintaining a coherent aesthetic. It looks and feel fantastic on the wrist.
The Czapek Promenade Diamond Drops combines technical watchmaking with advanced gem-setting, resulting in a timepiece that demonstrates both mechanical innovation and artisanal craftsmanship. The snow-set dial, micro-rotor movement, and hand-finished case components reflect a high degree of manual skill and attention to detail. With a production limited to ten pieces, the watch is positioned as a demonstration of both technical and decorative expertise within contemporary watchmaking.
18k white gold case with diamond-set bezel & crown, adorned with a snow-set dial of diamonds & sapphires.
In-house SXH5.1 caliber with micro-rotor.
Made to order, up to 10 pieces.
Price: 82’000 CHF (before taxes)
Functions
Hours, minutes, small seconds at 4:30
Movement
Caliber SXH5.1: Czapek’s in house self-winding mechanical movement with small seconds
Diameter: 30 mm – 13 lines ¼
Height: 4.2 mm
Number of parts: 127
Jewels: 26
Swiss lever escapement, variable-inertia balance fitted with four gold inertia-blocks
Frequency: 4 Hz – 28800 VpH
Power winding system: microrotor with a recycled platinum mass
Power-reserve: 60 hours on a single barrel
Barrel torque: 8 Nmm
Open ratchets, sandblasted black bridges, bevelling, straight-grained sides, six hand-chamfered inward angles
Case
18k white gold case, 38mm
Bezel & crown set with 173 round-cut diamonds, ≈ 1.63 carats
Height: 10.8 mm
Lug to lug (12h to 6h): 42 mm
Sapphire crystal glass-box with anti-reflective treatment
Sapphire case back with anti-reflective treatment on the inner side
Water resistance: 5 atm
Dial
18k white gold snow-set dial, adorned with 679 round-cut diamonds & sapphires ≈ 3.08 carats
Blued hands
Strap
Nubuck leather strap in blue
About Czapek & Cie Czapek is a contemporary watchmaking Maison created in the spirit of François Czapek, a 19th-century Czech-born Polish watchmaker. In 1832 Czapek escaped from political turmoil in Warsaw and fled to Geneva, where he created a series of businesses during the 1830s. After establishing Czapek & Cie in 1845, he became the official watchmaker of Napoleon III and opened the first watchmaking boutique on Place Vendôme in Paris. The Czapek & Cie name was reborn in 2015 by a group of watch enthusiasts who sought to revive the Maison’s heritage and craftsmanship. Inspired by an 1850s Czapek & Cie pocket watch, the leading model of the first collection, Quai des Bergues 33bis, won the 2016 GPHG Public Prize. In 2020, the company launched Antarctique, a sport-chic collection with the first in-house Czapek movement. Today, Czapek’s haute horlogerie timepieces are known for their distinctive designs, high-quality craftsmanship and limited production. With headquarters in Geneva and its atelier in La-Chaux-de-Fonds, Czapek thoroughly defends the concept of ‘établissage’ in a modern way.
